The point of claying

[snowdog]

After reading all the guys on detailingworld raving about claying your car, I decided to give it a go with the meguiars quick clay starter kit. After (every) half a panel it looked like this :
http://public.blu.livefilestore.com...uTZiy5tItvdv-EUDX1ucsQ/20062010254.jpg?psid=1

However, I failed to notice any visual change... I've done about half the car, and deliberately only did half the bonnet, but I fail to see a difference between the bit I did and I didn't do, sure the clayed bit feels smoother and is slipper, but looks wise ...

Are you supposed to see a difference and if so, could I have done something wrong? I have kept it wet enough...

 

[( |-| |2 ][ $]

You're supposed to polish and then wax/seal after claying.

It's all about getting a smooth, glass like surface.

 

[snowdog]

You're supposed to polish and then wax/seal after claying.

I did, using el cheapo turtle wax but regardless, it needed a new coat after a month...

It's all about getting a smooth, glass like surface.

And the point of that is... ?

 

[DM]

looking at that clay it dont look too dirty, maybe it didnt really need claying.

 

[TaKeN]

I thought it removed all the **** from the paintwork. Which is important if you want to go laying wax down on it?

 

[snowdog]

looking at that clay it dont look too dirty, maybe it didnt really need claying.

The picture doesn't do it justice, it looked filthy instead of nice and white like new... I had to knead/remix the clay after half a panel to prevent it from turning black after 1-2 panels. It's a 14 year old car which has prolly never been clayed...

I thought it removed all the **** from the paintwork. Which is important if you want to go laying wax down on it?

Hmmm okay, I guess that makes sense.

 

[Irish_Tom]

It gets rid of all the crap that's left behind even after washing thoroughly.

You wouldn't want to polish your car with all the gunk that was on that clay still on it would you?

 

[Oxide™]

I did, using el cheapo turtle wax but regardless, it needed a new coat after a month...

that's because you used el cheapo stuff

And the point of that is... ?

To prep the surface properly...

Basically washing removes the bigger surface dirt particles and claying removes the ingrained dirt particles. This properly prepares the surface for the paint correction (polish or glaze) and then the final paint protection (wax or seal or both) stage. You don't want to start the later stages with any ingrained dirt still on the surface as this causes micromarring (self inflicted fine scratches)

 

[Janesy B]

Why do something if you don't even understand why you're doing it and then complain about the results?

 

[Irish_Tom]

To prep the surface properly...

Yup, this should maybe go in the car cleaning thread but this is my system:

• Jetwash to get the worst of the loose stuff off
• Clean with Meguiar's car shampoo and Meg's sheep's wool mitt
• Clay with Meg's clay and detailing spray
• Polish with Meg's step 1
• Polish with Meg's step 2
• Wax with Meg's step 3

 

[snowdog]

that's because you used el cheapo stuff

I'm a cheapskate though and want to use it up while It's still there, even if it means sealing my car twice as often as with a good wax. I still have half a tube of this ''Turtle wax plus PTFE'' left.

To prep the surface properly...

Basically washing removes the bigger surface dirt particles and claying removes the ingrained dirt particles. This properly prepares the surface for the paint correction (polish or glaze) and then the final paint protection (wax or seal or both) stage. You don't want to start the later stages with any ingrained dirt still on the surface as this causes micromarring (self inflicted fine scratches)

Thanks for explaining .

Yup, this should maybe go in the car cleaning thread but this is my system:

• Jetwash to get the worst of the loose stuff off
• Clean with Meguiar's car shampoo and Meg's sheep's wool mitt
• Clay with Meg's clay and detailing spray
• Polish with Meg's step 1
• Polish with Meg's step 2
• Wax with Meg's step 3

I don't have a water blaster/compressor, just the 2 bucket method at my disposal... I do have meg's sheep's wool mitt, I use a cheapo shampoo I have from somwhere.
I have that too& tried it today.
For polishing&cutting I use Commandant Scratch remover. ( not used yet as I have to buy pads for my rotary first)
For polishing&filling&sealing I use Autoglym SRP. ( not used yet as I have to buy pads for my rotary first)
Wax/sealing with Turtle wax plus ptfe. By hand, apply with megs soft foam app pad, polish with a polishing towell.

 

[Oxide™]

I live in a flat with no outside water supply or electricity so no pressure washer here either

On Friday I took it to the local tesco and jet washed it there and brought it back home for a 2 bucket method wash, rinse and dry by hand. At this stage I was knackered already (very unfit) and the weather said it was going to rain (great!) so thought I'd wash and seal the wheels before I called it a day....guess what it rained and car full of dust spots already...at least the wheels are gleaming.

I'm very stiff...

I will plan another day to wash, clay, glaze (I have hard paint which apparently is near impossible to polish out sratches by hand so glazing is the inferior paint correction method which fills in scratches in the clear coat rather than a polish which cuts back the clear coat - be careful of strike throughs (cutting through the clear coat into the paint colour layer) as that is a respray job to correct) and then seal.

I've opted for a seal instead of a wax final stage, as my car is kept outside, I don't want water to bead (wax) and sit on the car collecting dust. I want water to sheet off (seal)

I'm new to all this detailing so still learning as I go - I know that hand washing, rinsing and drying is hard work - I will rope in the missus next time though

 

[Matt82]

i wonder if there would be any dirt picked up by the clay if you clayed after a polish

 

[hohum]

You'd be taking off the polish if you clayed after polishing. The whole point of claying (bar removing the bonded gunk on your paintwork) is to improve the results you get when polishing/waxing afterwards.

@Oxide: I'm in the same situation as you. It's a right pain having to hump buckets of water up and down flights of stairs, plus having to deal with security doors whilst loaded up with cleaning stuff, etc.

Most annoying thing for me though is that there just isn't anywhere I can park in the shade to get the job done, so lately I keep having to put it off due to the weather. Whenever I have time to spare it's one extreme or the other - chucking it down, or super sunny heatwave weather (the latter resulting in the car's surface being far too hot to do anything).

 

[lmfy2k]

you will not see any paint correction by using clay

it just takes out the contamination off the body and leaves it glass smooth

polish is what gives you the shine and wax protects it

 

[Oxide™]

haha hohum that's exactly how it is such a mission and the weather has to be just right

I look longingly at people with their nice drives and garages now - I want a man room too

 

[Irish_Tom]

I also live in a flat with stairs and no outside power/water.

Use a petrol station to jet wash it and man-up with the buckets of water.

I don't really know why I bother cleaning it to be honest because all the parking here is covered by trees which either a) cover it in sap/blossom or b) house birds which cover it in crap.

 

[ZG002]

I also live in a flat with stairs and no outside power/water.

Use a petrol station to jet wash it and man-up with the buckets of water.

I don't really know why I bother cleaning it to be honest because all the parking here is covered by trees which either a) cover it in sap/blossom or b) house birds which cover it in crap.

This

Every time I've washed any of my cars, Two days later it looks filthy again.

 

[*Moangroan*]

Clay is great stuff for getting all that carp of....tar...gum etc etc.

There is a problem with cheapo wax and cheapo shampoo. A cheap wax will not be hard and poor quality. Then you buy a cheapo shampoo which will probably strip all wax off the car including quality waxes let alone poor ones.

So u need decent wax and a shapoo that does not strip wax.

You will then have a waxed car that will last the good part of a year., with just plain washing and drying. Infact once you dry it after washing with i dunno a microfibre cloth it should look like u just waxed it again....

 

[Jonny69]

You're doing it wrong. You need an old pair of pants:

Bit of gob:

And it comes up lovely, see: